Bush Novak, Williams’ publicist, has confirmed that the tennis champion intends to sit out the remainder of the 2017 tennis season and return next year.

She will, according to the BBC, be “eligible to retain her ranking under the WTA special ranking rule if she is ready to play her first tournament within 12 months of giving birth”.

And, judging by the flood of congratulatory messages she’s been receiving on Twitter, absolutely everybody believes that the tennis champ will be back doing what she does best (aka winning all the titles) in no time flat.

Writing on her official Reddit page, she chose to mark the occasion with a poem.

I came home A little late Someone had a bag packed for me And a carriage awaited Destination: Rome To escort me to my very own “charming” Back to where our stars first collided And now it was full circle At the same table we first met by chance This time he made it not by chance But by choice Down on one knee He said 4 words And

Topics

Share this article

Author

Kayleigh Dray

Kayleigh Dray is editor of Stylist.co.uk, where she chases after rogue apostrophes and specialises in films, comic books, feminism and television. On a weekend, you can usually find her drinking copious amounts of tea and playing boardgames with her friends.